Art is Play: The ECE Starter Bundle
Art materials are play materials. When children are free to use them in their own way, they grow into compassionate, creative thinkers who can collaborate, innovate, and imagine.
An easy place to begin.
If you already have playtime in your day and are curious about how and why to add open-ended art materials to that block of time, this bundle is for you! Transform the time, space, and materials you already have into a hub of creativity and connection by learning how to step back and trust children and their process. Start here to learn our approach and spark your creative teaching practice on day one. It’s easier than you think!
The bigger picture.
When children have access to open-ended materials during play, like paint, collage, recyclables, and loose parts, they're not just making stuff… they're building the human skills that matter most right now. Creative thinking, problem-solving, self-motivation, and collaborating with others are skills that grow through agency and choice, not through hours of prescriptive activities, screens, or worksheet time. And when children can count on these highly engaging and deeply meaningful play experiences, they feel a sense of purpose and belonging, reducing behavioral challenges and helping grown-ups see children more holistically.
Several states have already recognized this and have mandated play-based learning in early childhood classrooms. Many others are thinking about how to return to what is healthiest and best for children and their development. The research is clear: our uncertain future requires skills that are uniquely cultivated in early childhood classrooms.
The good news? You don't have to build something from scratch. Let us be your partner as you learn to prepare for and facilitate open-ended play, and build confidence in stepping back and trusting children as capable and full of potential.
What you will get.
Set It Up and See What Happens 1 hr workshop
In this workshop, you'll learn exactly how to add open-ended materials to the play time you already have, and why this matters. You'll leave with language that shifts your role from director to observer, and a simple approach to set up right away. Nothing new to build, just materials, dedicated time and space, and a flexible mindset. 1-hour PD certificate and 5 printables included.
My Name Art & Play Guide (Back-to-school)
Start the year here. This guide is built around identity and belonging. Twenty low-prep invitations using simple materials, a rich picture book list, mindfulness routines, and curricular connections. Use the new language and concepts presented in Set It Up and See What Happens to start your open-ended, creative practice, whether in the classroom or at home.
Gratitude Art & Play Guide (Fall)
Through creative play with natural materials, children discover that gratitude isn’t just a one-time act; it's a daily practice of noticing, building empathy, and finding beauty in the world around them. Each 25-page guide includes 20 creative invitations, 2 extended projects, a master supply list, mindfulness routines, curricular connections, a diverse picture book list, and an artist spotlight.
Bloom Art & Play Guide (Spring)
This guide is about the blossoming and growth we see in nature, in children, and in our creative practice when we have trusted the process throughout the school year. It’s about seeing the children in our care through a different lens, and noticing the small and big ways in which they have bloomed. This guide is the perfect place to land as the natural world is calling us outside to collect and wonder.
You’re new to The Creativity Project or have been curious about our approach for a while, and you want a simple, low-stakes way to begin without overhauling everything you already do.
You already have playtime in your day but are curious about adding art materials into the mix.
You've moved away from step-by-step crafts but don't yet have a system to replace them.
You work in a state that mandates play-based learning and want a practical, joyful way to bring it to life.
You want to add open-ended materials to your classroom but aren't sure which ones, how to set them up, or what to say when someone questions your new approach.
You are ready to build community and a sense of belonging on day one, and you just need support in making it happen.
This is for you if...
Everything you need to add open-ended art materials to your play space with confidence. One workshop, three seasonal guides, and a framework you can return to again and again. (Bundled at 25% off retail value.)
Want to go deeper?
This bundle is a beginning. If it sparks something in you, here's where to go next:
Want to build real confidence with specific materials?
Materials Matter, our signature self-paced course, takes you deep into 12 of our core open-ended materials, one module at a time, with videos, playbooks, links to materials, and PD certificates.
Want to think more intentionally about your classroom environment?
In our Designing for Discovery workshop, we will help you set up spaces that invite exploration and independent thinking.
Want more support with what to say (and not say) when children create?
The Art of Guiding workshop explores how thoughtful language and gentle support help children navigate frustration, build resilience, and trust themselves.
Want a whole year of guides?
Shop our full collection of seasonal guides, each one with a month's worth of ideas, mindfulness routines, curricular connections, a diverse picture book list, and more!
Want personalized support for your school or program?
Learn about our Coaching and Consultation services if you're ready to embed open-ended creative play into your daily practice at a deeper level. We work directly with schools, programs, and creative teams to build systems that last. From classroom design to staff training to curriculum support, we meet you where you are.
Who we are.
The Creativity Project was founded by Shannon Merenstein and Bar Rucci with one core belief: creativity belongs in every classroom. Our resources are used by early childhood educators across the country and the world, in preschools, childcare centers, elementary schools, and homes. We’ve spent years building our approach, and we are so glad you found us!
FAQs
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We'd love that! School and district licensing is available for the Art Is Play Bundle. Reach out to us directly via email, and we'll put together a package that works for your team and your budget.
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Right at the center of it! Art materials are play materials, and this bundle is built around that idea. When children are given open-ended materials and the freedom to explore them independently, they are doing exactly what play mandates ask for. Our workshop gives teachers a simple system for making that happen, and the guides give them a full season of ready-to-use invitations.
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No. Our approach is built around everyday, low-prep materials such as things that are recycled, collected in nature, or already on hand like tape and scissors. The guides include a master supply list for each month, and nothing requires a special trip to a craft store.
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If you work with young children in any setting, this is for you! From early childhood and preschool settings to kindergarten through second grade. For us, it doesn’t stop there. We will always recommend offering older children time for open-ended creative play, too. There is no age limit to play; all humans need it!
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Everything lives in one place. After purchase, you'll create a simple login and find your workshop and all three guides waiting for you. No new platform to learn, nothing to download and save. Just open and use right away, with lifetime access.
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No. This is a one-time purchase. Everything is yours to keep and come back to whenever you need it.